abbit； he crope off whar der wuz a cool place under some jimson weeds； en dar he sot wkkkin his mind how he gwineter git dus' out'n dat rock。 Bimeby； w'ile he wuz a settin' dar； up he jump en crack his heels tergedder en sing out：
〃'Make a bow ter de Buzzard en den ter de Crow； Takes a limber…toe gemmun fer ter jump Jim Crow；'
en wid dat he put out for Brer Coon house en borrer his slippers。 W'cn Sat'day evenin' come； dey wuz all dere。 Miss Meadows en de gals； dey wnz dere； en Brer Coon； en Brer Fox； en Brer Possum； en Brer Tarrypin； dey wtiz dere。〃
〃Where was the Rabbit？〃 the litde boy asked。
〃Yuk'n put yo' 'pennunce in ole Brer Rabbit；〃 the old man replied； with a chuckle。 〃He wuz dere； but he shuffle up kinder late； kaze w'en Miss Meadows en de ballunce an um done gone down ter de place； Brer Rabbit； he crope 'roan' ter de ash…hopper； en fill Brer Coon slippers full er ashes； en den he tuck'n put um on en march off。 He got dar atter 'w'ile； en soon's Miss Meadows en de gals seed 'im； dey up'n giggle； en make a great 'miration kaze Brer Rabbit got on slippers。 Brer Fox； he so smart； he holler out； he did； en say he lay Brer Rabbit got de groun'…eatch； but Brer Rabbit； he sorter shet one eye； he did； en say； sezee：
〃'I bin so useter ridin' hoss…back； ez deze ladies knows； dat I'm gittin' sorter tender…footed；' en dey don't hear much mo' fum Brer Fox dat day； kaze he 'member how Brer Rabbit done bin en rid him； en hit 'uz des 'bout much ez Miss Meadows en de gals could do fer ter keep der snickers fum gittin' up a 'sturbance 'mong de congergashun。 But； never mine dat； old Brer Rabbit； he wnz dar； en he so brash dat leetle mo' en he'd er grab up de sludge…hammer en er open up de racket 'fo' ennybody gun de word； but Brer Fox； he shove Brer Rabbit out'n de way en pick up de sludge hisse'f。 Now den；〃 continued the old man； with pretty much the air of one who had been the master of similar ceremonies； 〃de progance wuz dish yer： Eve'y gent wer ter have th'ee licks at de rock； en de gent w'at fetch de dus' he were de one w'at gwineter take de pick er de gals。 Ole Brer Fox； he grab de sludge…hammer； he did； en he come down on de rock…bum！
No dus' ain't come。 Den he draw back en down he come ag'in… blam！ No dus' ain't come。 Den he spit in his han's； en give 'er a big swing en down she come…kerbiap！ En yit no dus' ain't flew'd。 Den Brer Possum he make triul； en Brer Coon； en all de ballunce un urn 'cep' Brer Tarrypin； en he 'low dat he got a crick in his neck。 Den Brer Rabbit； he grab holt er de sludge； en he lipt up in de a'r en come down on de rock all at de same time…pow！…en de ashes； dey flew'd up so； dey did； dat Brer Fox； be 。tuck'n had a sneezm' spell； en Miss Meadows en de gals dey up'n koff。 Th'ee times Brer Rabbit jump up en crack his heels tergedder en come down wid de sludge…hammer…ker…blam！…en eve'y time he jump up； he holler out：
〃'Stan' fudder； ladies！ Yer come de dus'！' en sho nuff； de dus' come。
〃Leas'ways；〃 continued Uncle Remus； 〃Brer Rabbit got one er de gals； en dey had a weddin' en a big infa'r。〃
〃Which of the girls did the Rabbit marry？〃 asked the little boy； dubiously。
〃I did year tell an 'er name；〃 replied the old man； with a great affectation of interest； 'but look like I done gone en fergit it oWn my mine。 Ef I don't disremember；〃 he continued； 〃11it wuz Miss Molly Cottontail； en I speck we better let it go at dat。〃
XXXI A PLANTATION WITCH
The next time the little boy got permission to call upon Uncle Remus； the old man was sitting in his door； with his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands； and he appeared to be in great trouble。 〃what's the matter； Uncle Remus？〃 the youngster asked。 〃Nuff de matter； honey…mo' dan dey's enny kyo fer。 Ef dey ain't some quare gwines on 'roun' dis place I ain't name Remus。〃 The serious tone of the old man caused the little boy to open his eyes。 The moon； just at its full； cast long； vague； wavering shadows in front of the cabin。 A colony of tree…frogs somewhere in the distance were treating their neighbors to a serenade； but to the little boy it sounded like a chorus of lost and long…forgotten whistlers。 The sound was wherever the imagination chose to locate it…to the right； to the left； in the air； on the ground； far away Or near at hand； but always dim and always indistinct。 Something in Uncle Remus's tone exactly fitted all these surroundings； and the child nestled closer to the old man。 〃Yasser；〃 continued Uncle Remus； with an ominous sigh and mysterious shake of the head； 〃ef dey ain't some quare gwiaes on in dish yer naberhood； den I'm de ball…headest creetur 'twix' dis en nex' Jinawerry wuz a year 'go； w'ich I knows I ain't。 Dat's what。〃 〃What is it； Uncle Remus？〃 ~ know Mars John bin drivin' Cholly sorter hard ter…day； en I say ter myse'f dat I'd drap 'round 'bout dus' en fling nudder year er corn in de troff en kinder gin 'im a techin' up wid de kurrier…koam； en bless grashus！ I ain't bin in de lot mo'n a minnit 'fo' I seed sump'n wuz wrong wid de hoss； and sho' nuff dar wuz his mane full er witch…stirrups。〃
〃Full of what； Uncle Remus？〃
〃Full er witch…stirrups； honey。 Ain't you seed no witch…stirrups？ Well； w'en you see two stran' er ha'r tied tergedder in a hoss's mane； dar you see a witch…stirrup； en； mo'n dat； dat boss done bin rid by um。〃
〃Do you reckon they have been riding Charley？〃 inquired the little boy。
〃Co'se； honey。 Tooby sho dey is。 W'at else dey bin doin'？〃
〃Did you ever see a witch； Uncle Remus？〃
〃Dat ain't needer yer ner dar。 W'en I see coon track in de branch； I know de coon bin 'long dar。〃
The argument seemed unanswerable； and the little boy asked； in a confidential tone：
〃Uncle Remus； what are witches like？〃
〃Dey comes djihint；〃 responded the cautious old darkey。 〃Dey comes en dey cunjus fokes。 Squinch…owl hol ~ ler eve'y time he see a witch； en w'en you hear de dog howlin' in de middle er de night； one un um's mighty ap' ter be prowlin' 'roun'； Cunjun fokes kin tell a witch de minnit dey lays。 der eyes on it； but dem w'at ain't canjan； hit's mighty hard ter tell w'en dey see one； kaze dey might come in de 'pearunce un a cow en all kinder creeturs。 I ain't bin useter no cunjun myse'f； but I bin livin' long nuff fer ter know w'en you meets up wid a big black cat in de middle er de road； wid yaller eyeballs； dars yo' witch fresh fum de Ole Boy。 En； fuddermo'； I know dat 'tain't proned inter no dogs fer ter ketch de rabbit w'at use in a beryyin'…groan'。 Dey er de mos' ongodlies' creeturs w'at you ever laid eyes on； continued Uncle Remus； with unction。 〃Down dar in Putmon County yo' Unk Jeems； he make like he gwineter ketch wunner dem dar graveyard rabbits。 Sho nuff； out he goes； en de dogs ain't no mo'n got ter de place fo' up jump de old rabbit right 'mong urn； en atter ruunin''roun' a time or two； she skip right tip ter Mars Jeems； en Mars Jeems； he des put de gun…bairl right on 'er en lammed aloose。 Hit tored up de groun' all 'roun'； en de dogs； dey rush up； but dey wa'n't no rabbit dar； but bimeby Mars Jeems； he seed de dogs tuckin' der tails 'tween der legs； en he look up； en dar wuz de rabbit caperin' 'roun' on a toom stone； en wid dat Mars Jeems say he sorter feel like de time done come w'en yo' gran'ma was 'speck…tin' an him home； en he call off de dogs en put out。 But dem wuz ha'nts。 Witches is deze yer kinder fokes wat kin drap der body en change inter a cat en a wolf en all kinder creeturs。〃
〃Papa says there ain't any witches；〃 the little boy interrupted。
〃Mars John ain't live long ez I is；〃 said Uncle Remus； by way of comment。 〃He ain't bin broozin' roun' all hours er de night en day。 I know'd a nigger w'ich his brer wuz a witch； kaze he up'n tole me how he tuck'n kyo'd 'im； en he kyo'd 'im good； mon。〃
〃How was that？〃 inquired the little boy。
〃Hit seem like；〃 continued Uncle Remus； 〃dat witch fokes is got a slit in de back er de neek； en w'en dey wanter change derse'f； dey des pull de hide over der head same ez if 'twuz a shut； en dar dey is。〃
〃Do they get out of their skins？〃 asked the little boy； in an awed tone。
〃Tooby sho； honey。 You see yo' pa pull his shut off？ Well； dat dez 'zackly de way dey duz。 But dish yere nigger w'at I'm tellin' you 'bout； he kyo'd his brer de v'ey fus pass he made at him。 Hit got So dat fokes in de settlement didn't have no peace。 De chilluns 'ud wake up in de mawnins wid der ha'r tangle up； en wid scratches on um like dey bin thoo a brier…patch； twel bimeby one day de nigger he 'low dat he'd set up dat night en keep one eye on his brer； en sho' nuff dat night； des ez de chickens wuz crowin' fer twelve； up jump de brer and pull off his skin en sail out'n de house in de shape an a bat； en w'at duz de nigger do but grab up de hide； and turn it wrong…sudout'ards en sprinkle it wid salt。 Den he lay down en watch fer ter see w'at de news wuz gwineter be。 Des 'fo' day yer come a big black cat in de do'； en de nigger git up； he did； en druv her away。 Bimeby； yer come a big black dog snuffin' roan'； en de nigger up wid a chunk en lammed 'im side er de head。 Den a squinch…owi lit on de koam er de house； en de nigger jam de shovel in de fier en make 'im flew away。
Las'； yer come a great big black wolf wid his eyes shinin' liko fier